VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #0799/01 1531812
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021812Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0900
INFO RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000799 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP PGOV PHUM PREL SNAR KDEM ASEC KJUS BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: USG-BACKED CONFERENCE SPURS TIP 
SOLUTIONS/COOPERATION 
 
REF: A. LA PAZ 729 
 
¶1. Summary: On April 21 and 22 the Embassy's Narcotics Affairs 
Section (NAS), in a joint initiative with the United Nations, Office 
of International Migration (OIM) and the Attorney General's Office, 
organized Bolivia's first International Conference on Trafficking in 
Persons in the city of Cochabamba.  Organized around a "triple 
theme" of prevention, protection, and prosecution, the conference's 
established a coordinated strategy to combat trafficking in persons, 
especially of women and children, by bringing together a diverse 
group of actors, including representatives from the Bolivian 
government, law enforcement, international organizations, and 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  The conference also helped 
support the important role of the Prosecutor's office in criminal 
investigations of trafficking cases.  This report supplements reftel 
cable.  End Summary. 
 
TIP Background in Bolivia 
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¶2. Bolivia is a source country for men, women, and children 
trafficked for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. 
Bolivians are trafficked mainly to Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, 
and Spain for forced labor in sweatshops, factories, and 
agriculture.  Young Bolivian women and girls are trafficked within 
the country from rural to urban areas for commercial sexual 
exploitation.  Members of indigenous communities are at risk for 
domestic labor exploitation, particularly on sugar cane and Brazil 
nut plantations.  Bolivian children are trafficked internally for 
forced labor in mining, agriculture, and as domestic servants.  Some 
reports indicate that parents have sold or rented their children 
into farm labor exploitation near border areas with Peru. 
Undocumented migrants from Asia reportedly transit Bolivia; some may 
be trafficking victims.   The Government of Bolivia is making an 
effort to fight trafficking in persons (TIP) despite limited 
resources. The government demonstrated significant anti-trafficking 
progress by increasing law enforcement actions against trafficking 
offenders and by expanding victim services and prevention efforts. 
 
Attendees 
- - - - - 
 
¶3. One of the underlying goals of the conference was to bring 
together state and non-state actors to increase knowledge on human 
trafficking, increase awareness, and build capacity for cooperation 
and increased prosecution of TIP-related crimes.  This aspect of the 
conference was a success, with 214 participants from throughout 
Bolivia, including significant government representation, 
Congressional deputies, Cochabamba police chiefs, Ombudsman office 
representatives, Catholic Church representatives, members of the 
diplomatic corps in Bolivia, the District Attorney, members of the 
Organization of American States (OAS), and speakers from Peru and 
Mexico. 
 
 
Day One: Analysis and Proposals 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. While in many areas the GOB and USG have a tense bilateral 
relationship, the fight against trafficking in persons helped create 
common ground.  Congressional Human Rights Commission President and 
member of the ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party Elizabeth 
Salgueiro gave a presentation on draft legislation designed to 
prosecute those who commit TIP-related crimes.  Under this 
legislation, the prosecutor's office would be able to seize assets 
from TIP-related criminal organizations, use undercover agents to 
investigate, and jail clients for up to ten years for trafficking 
minors.  The draft legislation included provisions for the 
protection and assistance of TIP victims.  Salgueiro expressed 
concern about the rise in the number of TIP cases and congratulated 
the Embassy for sponsoring the conference. 
 
¶5. The District Attorney, representing the Attorney General's 
office, offered full cooperation from his office to prosecute 
TIP-related crimes.  In a separate presentation, the Ombudsman's 
representative provided an overview of TIP crimes in Bolivia and 
highlighted specific areas needing improvement, such as victims' 
shelters, better border control, and the need for a higher 
conviction rate of traffickers. 
 
¶6. The United Nations sent two experts from Peru and Mexico.  Both 
addressed trafficking in persons from an international perspective 
and discussed how organizations must work together to combat this 
problem.  They cited corruption and poverty as leading factors in 
typical trafficking cases.   "We need to make this a long-term, 
sustainable program capable of supporting not only public 
prosecution and police services in the fight against trafficking, 
but also other justice operators, such as the judiciary and border 
control authorities," said Felipe De La Torre, a crime prevention 
expert with the UN's Mexico City Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 
 
Victims in Bolivia 
- - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶7. The NAS created and presented a video to show the tragic 
testimony of several Bolivian victims forced into prostitution. 
Conference attendees learned about NAS initiatives to support 
victims and fight trafficking in persons. Under a new program, NAS 
will provide care to victims after they are rescued by the police. 
Victims will be taken to shelters and receive psychological and 
health treatment, vital steps toward their ultimate reintegration 
into society.  In some cases, the program will provide funds to 
transfer victims safely back to their cities of origin. 
 
Day Two: Work groups 
- - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶8. During the conference's second day, attendees broke up into five 
work groups on the following topics:  1) Prevention, 2) Protection 
3) Domestic criminal persecution, 4) International Criminal 
Persecution, and 5) Strategy.  The fourth and fifth groups agreed 
that trafficking-related crimes require a comprehensive 
international approach in the countries of origin, transit, and 
destination.  Such an approach also would include measures to 
prevent trafficking, punish traffickers, and protect victims, with 
an emphasis on protecting their internationally recognized human 
rights.  Each group presented ideas and activities that would help 
achieve the conference's "triple theme" of prevention, protection, 
and prosecution. 
 
Comment: One Step Forward 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶9. Many challenges remain.  As one specific example, the GOB's 
proposed legislation, while forward-leaning, may suffer from a lack 
of funding.  It is also likely that many programs, including those 
related to victims assistance, may be undermined by a lack of 
coordination between the central government and municipalities, 
particularly when different political parties are in control.  As a 
result, domestic NGOs and international organizations could have an 
increasingly important role to play.  As an example, the 
International Organization for Migration will be in a good position 
to assist with its "know how" on transporting rescued victims to 
their cities of origin. 
 
¶10. Nevertheless, the conference was an excellent first step toward 
raising consciousness about and coordinating the fight against 
TIP-related crimes.  The number and range of domestic and 
international agencies represented, both within and outside of 
Bolivia, helped start conversations that can lead to improved 
inter-institutional cooperation.